Hi, GarmadonJr back. If you've read Chapter 4 or 6 and noticed something funny, I'm sorry. Chapter 4 was missing a huge chunk for some reason, so I had to re-upload it. I didn't realise there was a word limit, so I wrote a ton for Chapter 6, which got cut short. I can't rewrite it without messing up the entire thing or potentially making it longer, so I'm going to try continue the best I can from where Fanfiction left me off. And I had writer's block, which is why I have remained silent for so long. Sorry.
And if you're worried about me turning this thing into a dragon book, don't be. I love dragons, but they will not be critically important characters. In the future. For now, just deal with it.
*Aster*
I am Aster, she began hesitantly. Master of Wind. She fell silent for a moment, not sure what to do.
"Aster," Kai spoke up from behind her. "Are you talking to this… thing?"
"Yeah," she nodded. "Don't ask how, because even I don't know."
"Can you ask it something?"
"Sure."
"Ask if it can take us to the Underworld."
"It can do that?" Aster studied the dragon, who was regarding her with equal curiosity.
If you're talking about me, which I assume you are, please do not refer to me as "it". I have a name, you know.
Which you have kindly neglected, to tell me, "It".
Fair enough. I am Flame, he extended a claw. And you are going to die shortly.
Wait, what?
In case you haven't noticed, humans are fragile creatures. Only the Master of Fire can survive in this heat for long.
Then can you let us out now?
Magic word?
Abracadabra!
Try again.
Please!
There you go.
"Climb on!" Aster called to Kai and Nya, who swung onto Flame's scaly back.
Outside the temple, they heard the voices of the rest of the team.
"We are too late," Zane murmured, out of sight. "The elemental weapons are in the Underworld. The end is drawing near."
"Great," Cole growled. "The one place no mortal can cross over- That's where the Weapons are."
"Maybe we can't cross over," Kai called from behind her, "But dragons can."
With a dramatic roar, Flame burst out of the temple. Aster stifled a chuckle as Cole let out a startled yelp, his face the picture of terror.
And that is how you make an entrance, Flame snorted smugly. She huffed in exasperation.
Can you help us with something?
Yes?
My brother wants you to take us to the Underworld.
Of course.
You can do that?
One of the benefits of being a dragon.
How?
I don't know. How is it that you can talk to me, and that we can understand each other?
No idea. Do you know?
Yes, but now is not the time for explanations. Now go talk to your squishy two-legged friends and explain what you would like to do.
"Guys," Aster cleared her throat. The four ninja looked up at her. "Kai's right. Flame can take us to the Underworld."
Nya turned to Kai, confused. "How did you know-" She broke off, her eyes lighting up. "Dad's bedtime stories!"
"Dad told bedtime stories?" Aster frowned. Not in her memory, certainly.
"Dad used to tell us bedtime stories, a long time before you were born," Kai explained. "He talked about how dragons could ferry things between the realms. Then your mom came, and he got all excited about the Serpentine War, and he sort of gave up on bedtime stories. 'Course, the Serpentine were a lot more exciting…"
"Kai, we're getting off topic," Nya nudged their brother. "The point is, yes, the dragon definitely can take you to the Underworld."
"You've got to be kidding…" Cole mumbled, eying Flame warily.
"Nope," Aster said cheerfully. "Totally serious. Come on, this is going to be fun!"
"Grrragrle blarch," Jay gargled. Aster shrugged.
"See, he agrees with me!"
"Actually, Aster, I believe he is asking Nya if she likes blue," Zane observed
"My favourite colour, actually," Nya shrugged. Jay punched the air in triumph, his eyes bright with something foreign to Aster. Glancing at Nya, Cole had the same, though more subtle and subdued, expression. Why do I get the feeling this is going to cause trouble someday?
"Come on," Aster urged, shrugging it off. "Let's go, go, go!"
Nya smiled at her, briefly hugging her, before turning to Kai. "I guess this is goodbye, then," Nya said softly, looking at her siblings. "You guys come back to me in one piece, okay?"
"We won't be gone for long," Kai promised. He turned to the other ninja. "Let's go!"
"There's no room on that thing," Cole glanced at the dragon. "You guys go on."
Aster hesitated. Even if he was just making excuses, Cole had a point.
Flame, we can't all fit on you.
It'll only be a short trip to the Floating Ruins.
Wait, what?
The dragon snorted. I don't intend to go to the Underworld myself. Just as your brother has his team, I have my own brethren. I'm going to find them.
Aster grinned. What was not to like about searching for things that could potentially eat you?
*Flame*
Flame peered into the Caves of Despair, letting out a soft breath of fire. Outside, Wisp and Shard, dragons of Lightning and Ice, stretched their wings, their respective elemental humans wriggling on their backs. On his own perched his own elemental human, and the Master of Wind.
In the light of his fire Flame saw a dark, forlorn figure sprawled on a pile of rocks. The largest, strongest, oldest of the dragons- the Dragon of Earth, who lifted his head at the light. His eyes widened slightly at the sight of Flame, before they narrowed.
You shouldn't be here, he growled, before he turned away. We were charged to stay in our appointed locations.
Until the Master of Wind came, Flame countered. The Golden Dragon told us to guard the Weapons, and stay where we were told to go until the Master of Wind came. Then he would show us the way to our elemental ninja. He paused. But wasn't their Master of Wind female? What if he had disobeyed the Golden Dragon? What if they were supposed to wait for someone else?
Where is the Master of Wind? The Earth Dragon demanded. If you are here, then that means the Master of Wind is here. Where is he?
Here, Aster called softly, finally speaking up. Her voice, unlike that of a dragon's, was cleaner, without even a hint of a rasp.
The Dragon of Earth got to his feet, and prowled, circling Flame and examining the two humans on his back. Craning his neck, Flame noticed that the Dragon of Earth was glaring at both Flame's elemental master and his sister.
Two problems, he declared. Firstly, the Master of Wind is female.
I can hear you, you know, Aster snarled, her eyebrows furrowing.
You misunderstand me, the Dragon lashed his tail. We were told to wait for the Master of Wind. He would lead us to our respective elemental masters. Where is the true Master of Wind?
Flame felt Aster shift on his back. Evidently she knew the answer.
Aster? He prompted.
The only other Master of Wind was my father, she replied, playing with the scales on Flame's back. He… died. A long time ago.
Then the prophecy is incomplete, the Dragon stated, already turning away. Go back the Fire Temple, Flame.
Flame felt fury rise up in his chest. Even as hatchlings, the Dragon of Earth had been stubborn, and unwilling to divert from any plan, not matter what. It had been irritating then, but now that improvisation was so critically important, it was maddening.
Listen to me! Flame roared, lunging forward, and pinning him to the floor. The Golden Dragon was wrong. He made a mistake. Here are our elemental masters, and here is the Master of Wind. The First Spinjitzu Master's son said he would select the masters when the time was right, and he has. You need to open your eyes. The Master of Wind's gender doesn't change anything. You will come with us, because we need your pathetic hide. Understood?
Behind him, furtive, unintelligible murmuring sounded, as Aster translated for her brother. But the human squeaks were cut short as the Dragon of Earth rose to his full height, flaring his wings and knocking Flame down.
You forget your place, he growled. I am the strongest, and I was chosen to lead us. I will come, but do not ever think of attacking me again.
Despite the new scratches on his neck, Flame smiled inwardly. At least they had all four dragons.
The Dragon of Earth let go. My second problem is with the humans.
Yes? Flame could hear impatience leaking into Aster's voice.
He strode over and leaned in, his nose almost touching Aster's. Master of Wind or not, wield the Scythe again and I will personally tear you apart.
Deal. Come on, Flame insisted, nudging his elemental master onto his back, where he had fallen from when the Dragon of Earth had attacked. The Master of Fire looked at him, grinning. Evidently, like Flame, he'd found the encounter entertaining. Aster followed, using her wind to boost herself up behind the Master of Fire.
They had already found all four ninja, and the four elemental dragons were reunited. All that was missing were the Golden Weapons.
The Underworld awaited.
*Jay*
Jay's body throbbed painfully as he struggled to dismount his dragon. They had successfully crossed over to the Underworld, and the shift between the Realms was nauseating. And the Underworld was so dark, how could the Skulkin bear to live here? And his stomach was grumbling, he wished he had something to eat. Maybe cotton candy? That would have been great. Who knew, maybe Skulkin had fast-food, and they could get take-away at some restaurant afterwards.
"Solid ground," Cole sighed, voicing Jay's relief. "We made it!"
Look at that, Jay tried to say, pointing at the Skulkin Palace, which he'd just noticed. Instead, he mumbled, "Lrrg ga murgggh." He glowered pointedly at Cole, who'd been the one who had hit him in the throat accidentally. Cole shrugged his shoulders sheepishly, looking apologetic.
"Sensei's in there," Zane nodded at the structure.
So they had no choice. They'd have to enter the Skulkin Palace. The creepy, dark place, crawling with Skulkin. Jay's blood ran cold just thinking about it.
Next to him, Aster poked Kai, and pointed at the Skulkin sentries, who were turning over a cart, seemingly searching for something.
"They're expecting us," Kai realised.
"How are we supposed to get in now?" Cole narrowed his eyes at the Skulkin.
"There are stalactites hanging from the ceiling," Zane noted. "Perhaps we can climb them to the palace."
The ninja climbed onto their dragons, vaulting off their heads onto the stalactites. Jay wriggled further up on his, before flying off onto another, which felt brittle. He looked up, trying to make sure that the top of the stalactite was solid enough to hold his weight. Jay's stomach dropped when he looked straight into the face of a giant spider.
"Spuuuurgh!" Jay shrieked, pointing at the spider, trying to warn the other ninja, who took no notice.
"Can I be the first to say it's been an absolute pleasure since Jay lost his voice?" Cole remarked, swinging determinedly onto another spider leg. Kai grinned, nodding in agreement. Jay narrowed his eyes, swearing to himself that he would kick them off their spider legs if they made another crack about him.
He waited patiently for one of them to realise the potential threat they were in, and breathed a sigh of relief when Zane finally looked up. His relief turned to horror as Aster drew a katana, and attempted to drive it into the spider's abdomen. She failed, the spider's shell being far too thick, but now it was angry. The massive arachnid swivelled around to face them, baring its fangs. Terrified, Jay let go, dropping to the floor. The four thumps next to him told him the other ninja had done the same.
Across the cavern, two Skulkin were conversing in furtive murmurs. One was staring at them, and Jay was fairly sure they'd spotted.
"Ninja!" it hollered. Okay, that sucked. Next to him, he heard Aster growling a colourful string of curses. Well, her gender or her age certainly didn't seem hold her back.
They got to their feet, taking on battle stances, as the Skulkin closed in on them.
"I count ten boneheads to every one of us," Cole mumbled. "And I like these odds."
As if on cue, the giant arachnids on the ceiling began to lower themselves on strands of silk. The number of their opponents had doubled. Way to jinx things, Cole.
"O-o-okay, anyone got any bright ideas?" Kai squawked, fending off three Skulkin who had decided to attack simultaneously.
"Ninja-GO!" Zane spun into his ice-blue tornado, taking out a few skeletons, who immediately reassembled themselves.
"Way to go, genius," Aster growled, sending a burst of wind at a group of leering Skulkin.
"Any ideas?" Kai repeated, ducking as Aster sent a Skulkin head flying at him.
Jay studied Aster's wind, an idea forming in his head. Wind- Storms. Storms- Tornadoes. Tornadoes- Spinjitzu. Spinjitzu-
"Turggggh nuggggh uggh ugggh eeeatiurggh!" Jay grunted, trying to ignore the stinging of his throat, as he swung his nunchucks at a skeleton.
"You feel a weird sensation?" Cole guessed.
"You ate an odd crustacean?"
"You have a strange imagination?" Aster suggested. "Sorry, Jay, but we already knew that."
Kai gave his sister a seriously look. "No. It's 'Two minutes on vacation', genius."
Jay let out an exasperated sigh, bracing himself for the stinging of his throat.
"Tornado of Creation!" he roared, earning several ohs of realization.
"But it could lead to disastrous consequences," Cole warned, eyebrows furrowing.
"We're about to have a disastrous consequence," Kai snapped, already moving into position.
"Just do it!" Aster snarled impatiently.
"It seems a logical choice," Zane nodded.
Jay grinned. "Let's do this," he yelled, his voice having miraculously returned.
"Earth!"
"Fire!"
"Ice!"
"Lightning!" Jay joined the fray, adding his electric-blue Spinjitzu to the massive tornado now towering over the Skulkin. He felt power surge through his veins for a few glorious moments, then as quickly as it had come, the Tornado winked out of existence.
Looking up, Jay finally saw what they'd built- an enormous Ferris Wheel of bone, with several skeletons trapped in each of the cabins, which resembled cages. By the foot of the Ferris Wheel was Aster, slumped over and barely conscious.
Kai ran towards his sister lifting her to her feet. Cole stepped forward, concerned.
"What happened?" Zane asked, echoing Jay's thoughts.
Aster raised her head, her black eyes glinting with a hint of bitterness- she was jealous of their power, Jay realized. "I tried to hold off the Tornado of Creation," she rasped. "Turns out one power doesn't work so well against four others. The wind gave out, and you guys… threw me into the Ferris Wheel."
Kai's eyes were troubled. As much as he wanted to stay with the sister he had accidentally hurt, he was obliged to retrieve the Golden Weapons. It was their duty.
Aster noticed his hesitation. "Don't worry," she grinned weakly. "I'll be fine here. You guys go on."
Ever the straight-forward one, Cole spoke up. "We need to go," he said. "We don't have much time."
Reluctantly, Kai nodded, and got to his feet. The four travelled onwards, feeling somewhat emptier. They'd started off as a team of five- it seemed that they should have finished off together. But Jay was aware that though Aster was a part of their team, she wasn't one of them. She wasn't a "Pure" Elemental Master, as Sensei had called them.
Jay's thoughts revolved around Aster, his feet moving automatically. Jay had known that becoming a ninja wouldn't come without strings, but before now, he'd thought that getting hurt and leaving people behind would be avoidable.
Now he knew better, though, and to be honest, it scared him. His terror was very, very, real, and it threatened to swallow him. He was so occupied with that he didn't notice that they'd stopped, and bumped into Kai. The fire ninja, who ordinarily would have come up with a multitude of death threats, made no move other than to shush him, and motion at him to stay back. His eyes were fixed straight ahead.
Jay got on his toes to peer over the taller boy's shoulder. His heart nearly stopped. Sensei Wu wielded the Sword of Fire, while Samukai, wielding the other Golden Weapons, sent ice, earth, and lightning flying at the old man. Sensei was strong, and likely would have won in a fair fight. But Samukai had three of the most powerful weapons in Ninjago, while Sensei only had one. His defeat was inevitable.
Jay still hoped, though. He imagined Sensei hurling a fireball at Samukai, blue eyes sparkling in triumph. His heart sank when the four-armed Skulkin disarmed Wu, a towering menace of bone. It stooped to pick up the Sword, cackling as it wielded all four Weapons. Lord Garmadon, perched upon a throne of bone, smiled at Samukai, something dark lurking at the corners of his mouth.
"Bring me the Golden Weapons," Garmadon ordered, holding out a hand as dark as midnight.
The massive skeleton leered at him, to Jay's surprise. "No," he growled. "You obey me, now!"
Instead of losing his temper, as Jay would have expected, Garmadon laughed mockingly. "Selfish fool," he purred. "I planned this, you know."
Samukai began wailing, as his body glowed. "What's happening to me?"
"No mortal can wield all four Weapons at once," Sensei spoke quietly, watching Samukai a little sadly.
With a final screech, Samukai exploded, and a swirling vortex appear where he had stood.
"Father would not want you to do this, brother," Sensei pleaded, as Garmadon stood, walking to the vortex. Jay had no idea what they were talking about, but he assumed it was something unpleasant.
"Father is no longer here," Garmadon snarled, his amused expression vanishing in an instant. "Good and evil, there has always been a balance. Where I go, the balance can be destroyed. Soon I'll be strong enough to possess the Four Weapons so I can recreate the world in my image!"
And with that, Lord Garmadon, the man of their nightmares, walked into the portal, which winked out of existence, as if it had never existed in the first place.
Okay, GarmadonJr here. This thing took a month or so to write. I blame Writer's Block. Admittedly, this is not my best chapter ever, but at least we're done with the pilot episodes! Next is a filler chapter, then we meet the sixth ninja! Yippee! Not pressuring you or anything, but please review if you liked this.